Mary Riddell is a columnist and a political interviewer for the Daily Telegraph. She writes on topics ranging from family to foreign policy and is particularly interested in criminal justice. Her focus is what is going on, for better or for worse, in the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Is Ed Miliband paving the way for an EU referendum?

Ed Miliband's new policy advisor has called for an immediate EU referendum

Ed Miliband and his new policy supremo have not always seen eye to eye. An early encounter between the Labour leader and Jon Cruddas is described by one insider as "the worst political meeting I have ever been at." That frosty start gave way to mutual respect. By the time the two men met a fortnight ago, Miliband believed that Cruddas was the driving force that Labour needed.

His choice of a leading radical who embodies Left-wing thinking may alarm some on the party's Right. But Cruddas, and the Compass think tank with whose ideas he is closely associated, have consistently been ahead of the game. So it may prove on a European referendum.

Cruddas's enthusiasm for a vote on EU membership is well documented. He was one of the Labour rebels in last October's vote in which David Cameron suffered the worst-ever Tory revolt on Europe. Cruddas's insistence that the issue must be decided democratically is, his supporters say, a "pragmatic political tactic" by a man who is sharing ideas with European allies, such as German social democrats.

None the less, Cruddas's insistence has been presented as a possible embarrassment to Labour. That is no longer the case. This week Ed Balls floated the idea of a referendum at some future unspecified time and those around Mr Miliband are said to be increasingly receptive to an idea which would have democratic legitimacy, not to mention the potential gravely to embarrass the prime Minister, who is still resisting a move demanded by his party's Right.

A Europe referendum is "more than creeping on to the agenda", says one insider who points out that Mr Cruddas's thinking may once again prove ahead of the curve. There will be no importunate demands by the new policy chief for a hasty move. But the odds are shortening on an EU referendum in the next Labour manifesto.